National Council on Disability

Performance and Accountability Report

Fiscal Year 2017

National Council on Disability (202) 272-2004 Voice

1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850 (202) 272-2022 Fax 

Washington, DC 20004 www.ncd.gov
National Council on Disability

Performance and Accountability Report, 

Independent Auditor’s Report, and 

Financial Statements 

Fiscal Year 2017 and 2016
Table of Contents

Agency Head Message...................................................................Section 1

Management Discussion and Analysis.............................................Section 2

Performance Overview...................................................................Section 3

Financial Overview........................................................................Section 4

Financial Statements and Independent Auditor’s Report (Pages 1-19)..Section 4-2

Performance Section......................................................................Section 5
Agency Head Message

Section 1

 
 

 National Council on Disability

An independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress to 

enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities and their families.

Agency Head Message

January 30, 2018

On behalf of the members of the National Council on Disability (NCD or the Council), I 

am pleased to submit the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Performance and Accountability Report 

(PAR). This report provides the results of the agency’s programmatic and financial 

performance and demonstrates to the Congress, the President, and the public NCD’s 

commitment to its mission and accountability over the resources entrusted to it.

This report includes information that satisfies the reporting requirements contained in 

the following legislation:

• Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act of 1982

• Government Performance and Results Act of 1993

• Government Management Reform Act of 1994

• Reports Consolidation Act of 2000

• Accountability of Tax Dollars Act of 2002

• Improper Payments Information Act of 2002

• GPRA Modernization Act of 2010

Financial Management Reporting

General Services Administration Office of the Chief Financial Officer (GSA OCFO) 

fulfills all Treasury and the OMB external reporting requirements on behalf of the NCD

through the following Governmentwide mandated reports based upon the agency’s 

reporting requirements. Additionally, the GSA OCFO serves as a point of contact for 

financial regulatory issues with Treasury and OMB.

● SF 133 – Report on Budget Execution and Budgetary Resources (monthly)

● SF 224 – Statement of Transactions (reported by the third business day of the 

month)

● SF 132 – Apportionment and Reapportionment Schedule

● Max A-11 – President’s Budget Report

● Intergovernmental Fiduciary Confirmation System (quarterly)

● ATDAs – Accountability of Tax Dollars Act Statements (quarterly)

● TROR – Treasury Report on Receivables (quarterly)
● GTAS – Governmentwide Treasury Account Symbol Adjusted Trial Balance 

System (monthly)

● GFRS – Governmentwide Financial Report System

During FY 2017, NCD formulated a new five-year strategic plan set for FY 2018 – 

FY 2022 clearly defining the areas of priority for allocation of agency resources. 

We will continue to faithfully execute our mission of advisor to the President, Congress, 

and other federal agencies by regularly: (1) reviewing federal disability programs and 

policies, (2) meeting with people with disabilities and other stakeholders around the 

country to learn how federal programs and policies are translating to on-the-ground 

realities, and (3) providing advice, analysis and recommendations on disability policy to 

federal policymakers. 

It is an honor to serve as the Chairperson of an agency which continues to do such valuable 

work to benefit all Americans so that we all may participate in every aspect of society. 

Sincerely,

Clyde Terry

Chairperson
Management Discussion and Analysis

Section 2
Management Discussion and Analysis

Introduction

National Council on Disability (NCD) was initially established in 1978 as an advisory 

board within the U.S. Department of Education (Public Law 95-602). The Rehabilitation 

Act Amendments of 1984 (Public Law 98-221) transformed NCD into an independent 

agency and required NCD to provide expert advice to Congress and the Administration. 

Changes were also made to NCD’s statutory mandate by the Rehabilitation Act 

Amendments of 1992 and 1998 and the Education of the Deaf Act Technical 

Amendments of 1993, and to its composition by the Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity Act of 2014. 

NCD’s governing body is the Council, which is comprised of 9 part-time appointees:

5 presidential (including the chairperson) and 4 congressional, including one member 

appointed by each of the following: the Speaker of the House, the House Minority 

Leader, the Senate Majority Leader and the Senate Minority Leader.

Council Members are appointed to represent people with disabilities, national 

organizations concerned with disabilities, providers and administrators of services to 

people with disabilities, people engaged in conducting medical or scientific research 

related to disabilities, business concerns and labor organizations. The majority of the 

current Council Members are people with disabilities.

The Council Members are responsible for serving as trusted advisors to the President, 

Congress, and other federal agencies by developing policy recommendations regarding 

existing and needed legislation, regulation, and programs and practices; that serve to 

advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Council develops 

policy recommendations within the context of individual policy projects that culminate in 

topical policy reports. This work is done by ad hoc committees of several Council 

Members each project, with a single NCD staff lead per committee. These committees 

are formed after the approval of a new slate of policy priorities each year in a mid-year 

Council meeting and meet by phone at regular intervals to develop the project’s scope 

of work, review proposals, guide and inform the research, and ultimately propose 

recommendations on the basis of the findings. Council Members are also responsible 

for establishing NCD’s priorities and budget, and providing oversight of NCD’s 

programs, operations, and finances. The Council exercises its oversight responsibilities 

in part through its Executive and Finance Committee, consisting of the Chairperson; the 

Vice Chair; and two Council Member principals for finance and governance. The 

Chairperson of the Council also serves as the Chairperson of the Executive and 

Finance Committee. This committee meets monthly by phone with the management 

team on staff to review financial statements and receive programmatic updates.
Management Discussion and Analysis (Continued)

In addition to the nine appointed Council Members, NCD has a professional staff that 

supports the work of the Council. The Chairperson appoints an Executive Director, who

serves as the chief executive of the agency and has full responsibility for managing the 

agency to accomplish the mission, goals, and objectives. When fully staffed, NCD has 

13 full-time employees, organized into three teams:

• Policy & Legal Team 

• Legislative Affairs & Outreach Team 

• Administration, Finance, and Operations Team 

Mission, Vision, Goal & Objectives

NCD has a unique mission among federal agencies because it is charged with 

reviewing all programs and policies that affect people with disabilities across the 

Federal Government, not merely one aspect of policy affecting people with disabilities.

While NCD had drafted a new strategic plan set to begin in FY 2018, NCD’s Council 

Members, as constituted in 2010 and 2011, established NCD’s strategic goal, its two 

supporting objectives, and the strategies intended to achieve the goal in its FY 2012 -

FY 2017 strategic plan:

Mission

Promote equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living 

and economic self-sufficiency of people with disabilities of all ages 

and backgrounds by providing advice, analysis and 

recommendations on disability policy to the President, Congress 

and other federal agencies.

Vision

NCD leads by facilitating, articulating and promoting inclusion and 

empowerment of individuals with disabilities to live, learn and earn 

based on informed choices.

Strategic 

Goal

Advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act by 

promoting policies, programs, practices, and procedures that 

guarantee equal opportunity and provide for economic selfsufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all 

aspects of society for individuals with disabilities.

Strategic 

Objectives

1. Engagement – Engage stakeholders in order to assess 

concerns and priorities and build a network of NCD partners.

2. Policy Development & Collaboration – Address 

stakeholder concerns and priorities by advancing specific, 

practical policy solutions and encouraging collaboration.
Management Discussion and Analysis (Continued)

Strategies

Engagement –

• Inform NCD stakeholders of the policy projects it has 

underway and create and maintain regular opportunities to 

receive direct input from community stakeholders.

• Cultivate trusted relationships with Congress. 

• Establish and cultivate trusted relationships with state, local, 

and tribal governments and other entities. 

• Brand NCD as a principal national voice of the disability 

community. 

• Cultivate future leaders of the disability community. 

Policy Development and Collaboration –

• Cultivate trusted relationships with other federal agencies 

and look for opportunities to coordinate and work 

collaboratively.

• Work closely with and enlist the support of stakeholders to 

develop and advance policy responses to priority issues.

• Produce materials that have practical utility for federal, state, 

tribal, and local stakeholders regarding successful 

implementation of federal policies.

NCD 

Stakeholders

• All Americans with disabilities – a population diversified by 

geography, age, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, 

income, education, political party, type of disability, and other 

affiliations and identities;

• Policymakers and decision makers – including the 

President and all federal agencies, Congress, state, tribal, 

and local governments and communities – who create and 

implement federal policies and programs that affect people 

with disabilities; 

• Groups and organizations concerned with people with 

disabilities; 

• Families and support systems of people with disabilities, 

including parents and guardians; and 

• Society at large – employers, educators, manufacturers, 

service providers, engineers, designers, entertainers, and 

other individuals and organizations who influence inclusion 

and participation of Americans with disabilities
Performance Overview

Section 3
Performance Overview

NCD utilizes a performance management methodology to set priorities, allocate 

resources, and evaluate programmatic activity. That methodology includes articulating 

desired performance results in quantifiable terms and meaningful measures to gauge 

success in reaching those targets. Measuring NCD’s impact on its strategic goal of 

guaranteeing equal opportunity and providing for economic self-sufficiency, independent 

living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society for individuals with 

disabilities is challenging since this is a large-scale, long-term endeavor. Accordingly, as 

we evaluate and validate our performance measures and outcomes, we ask:

• Has NCD been a thought leader, performing important research and analysis on 

critical and/or emerging topics, and creating greater interest in the disability 

considerations of a particular policy topic?

• Has NCD identified critical needs where our engagement with stakeholders and 

policy development and collaboration can advance existing initiatives?

• Has NCD provided practical, timely policy recommendations and consultations to 

Members of Congress and the Executive Branch? 

In FY 2017, NCD performed consistently within its planned activities for the fiscal year in 

support of its strategic goal of using shorter, more concise methods of providing 

substantive policy recommendations. NCD released two policy reports to the President 

and Congress (while drafting ten others scheduled for FY 2018 release); submitted 

nineteen letters; and offered analysis and comments regarding various regulatory action 

or proposed legislation to federal agencies and to Congress. Topics of policy 

advisement covered a wide range, ranging from the accessibility needs of students on 

college campuses with respect to mental health, to changes in Medicaid policy. In each 

instance, NCD employed multifaceted engagement strategies to inform its work product, 

including roundtables, policy forums, Twitter chats, speaking engagements, and 

traditional public comment opportunities. 

Throughout the fiscal year, NCD continued to demonstrate that it is a respected thought 

leader by addressing the disability considerations of several critical / emerging issues 

and creating greater interest for policymakers and the general public in those 

considerations; and by receiving regular requests for consultation or comment by 

congressional offices and the media. 

NCD also continued to build upon its existing body of work from FY 2016 through 

ongoing collaborations with NCD stakeholders in areas including federal emergency 

management, Medicaid policy, education, and technology accessibility. 
Performance Overview (Continued)

Finally, in FY 2017, NCD demonstrated its ability to simultaneously work on long-range 

policy research projects while also remaining nimble to weigh in on time-sensitive 

legislative and regulatory initiatives and hearings, including wellness programs 

legislation, provisions of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System 

(NICS) Improvement Amendments Act, autonomous vehicle legislation in both 

chambers, healthcare reform proposals, and the ADA Education and Reform Act of 

2017. 

A more detailed analysis of NCD’s programmatic performance is outlined in a later 

section. 
Financial Overview

Section 4
Financial Overview

In FY 2017, NCD remained a responsible financial steward of federal funds entrusted to 

the agency by employing sound financial management practices. Rocha & Company, 

PC completed an independent audit for fiscal year 2017 and expressed the opinion that 

NCD's fiscal year 2017 financial statements are fairly presented, in all material respects, 

in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Furthermore, no 

significant deficiencies or material weaknesses were identified in NCD’s internal control. 

The audit firm confirmed NCD's compliance with selected provisions of laws and 

regulations required by OMB audit guidance.

The General Services Administration (GSA), Office of the Chief Financial Officer 

(OCFO) provides financial services to the NCD. GSA OCFO must fulfill Treasury and 

the OMB external reporting requirements of the NCD based upon the agency's reporting 

requirements. NCD and GSA OCFO work collaboratively together to maximize the 

agency’s ability to monitor the accuracy and reporting on behalf of NCD.

Future Effects of Known Risks, Uncertainties, Events, Conditions, Trends

NCD is a micro-agency with a macro mission, a small staff, and a modest budget of $3.2 

million. Due to the budget climate of recent time, NCD anticipates minor growth or flat-level 

funding to continue for the foreseeable future. With certain fixed costs increasing year over 

year, this has required NCD to focus more of its work in-house (versus reliance on 

contracted experts), to reevaluate the cost-benefit of some of its in-person meetings’ length 

and necessity, to closely align necessary technology upgrade purchases with the timing of 

federal cyber security requirements, and to regularly pursue lower-cost options in service 

providers it utilizes. Additionally, NCD has adopted a strategy of working in conjunction with 

a wide range of stakeholders – including people with disabilities, federal, state and local 

agencies, elected officials and their staff, universities, and a diverse group of non-profit 

organizations and individual disability policy experts and advocates – to leverage and 

steward resources to advance our mission, goals and objectives. 

For reasons of its micro size alone even small changes in staffing have the ability to 

significantly impact agency work flow. For many years, NCD enjoyed a relatively stable 

staffing roster but in the last couple fiscal years, NCD has experienced greater staff turnover 

and several extended periods of individual staff leave. Management continues to assess its 

internal control environment, act to address weaknesses identified, and encourage training 

for staff.

The Council Members and staff are cognizant that the national debt, coupled with the 

current legislative environment’s emphasis on entitlement reform and reducing costs have 

the potential to create significant challenges to the fulfillment of NCD’s strategic goal of 

advancing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act – equality of opportunity, full 

participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency of people with disabilities –

as many people with disabilities rely on government programs, under threat of reduction or 

elimination, in pursuit of those ends. For this reason, NCD continues to work closely and 

positively with congressional offices and its diverse stakeholders to foster understanding of 

on-the-ground effects of changes to federal programs on the lives of people with disabilities.
Section 4 - 2

Financial Statements

Independent Auditor’s Report

(Pages 1 – 19)
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

GENERAL FUND

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As Of And For The Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016
9841 Washingtonian Blvd., Suite 310, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 | Phone: 301.519.2912 | Fax: 301.519.2915

Independent Auditor’s Report

Board Members and Executive Director

National Council on Disability

Report on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of the National Council on Disability (the Council) as 

of September 30, 2017 and 2016, and the related statements of net cost, changes in net position, and 

budgetary resources for the years then ended. In our audit of the Council for the fiscal year ended 

September 30, 2017, we found:

• The financial statements are presented fairly in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. 

generally accepted accounting principles. 

• No material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting (including safeguarding assets).

• One instance of non-compliance that is detailed in the Compliance with Applicable Laws and 

Regulations section of this report, the following finding was identified:

 The Council did not comply with the Prompt Payment Act. During our audit we noted one 

instance where payments to a vendor was not made within the required 30-day stipulation.

The following sections discuss in more detail our opinion, our consideration of internal control over 

financial reporting, our tests of compliance with certain provisions of applicable laws and regulations, and 

management’s and our responsibilities.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

In our opinion, the financial statements, including the accompanying notes present fairly, in all material 

respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, the financial position of the 

National Council on Disability as of September 30, 2017 and 2016, and its net costs, changes in net 

position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended.

Consideration of Internal Control

In planning and performing our audit, we considered the Council’s internal control over financial 

reporting as a basis for designing our auditing procedures and to comply with the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) audit guidance for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial statements, 

but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on internal control and compliance or on management’s 

assertion on internal control included in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A). 

Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on internal control over financial reporting and compliance or 

on management’s assertion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control over financial reporting, or 

on management’s assertion on the internal control included in the MD&A. 
A control deficiency exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or 

employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent or detect 

misstatements on a timely basis. A significant deficiency is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, 

in internal control that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by 

those charged with governance. A material weakness is a significant deficiency, or combination of 

significant deficiencies, that results in a more than remote likelihood that the design or operation of one or 

more internal controls will not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their 

duties, to promptly detect or prevent errors, fraud, or noncompliance in amounts that would be material to 

the financial statements. 

Our consideration of internal control over financial reporting was for the purpose described in the first 

paragraph of this section and would not necessarily identify all deficiencies in the Council’s internal 

control that might be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. Given these limitations, during our 

audit we did not identify any deficiencies in internal control that we consider to be material weaknesses. 

We did not identify any deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting that we consider to be 

material weaknesses, as defined above. 

We noted other non-reportable matters involving internal control and its operation that we will 

communicate in a separate management letter to the Council’s management.

Compliance With Applicable Laws and Regulations

As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the Council’s financial statements are free from 

material misstatement, we also performed tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws and 

regulations for fiscal year 2017. However, providing an opinion on compliance with those provisions was 

not an objective of our audit, and accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. The results of our tests 

of compliance disclosed instances of noncompliance or other matters that are required to be reported 

under Government Auditing Standards. Specifically, we noted a violation of the Prompt Payment Act, the 

details of which are presented in Exhibit A.

Consistency of Other Information

The information in the Management's Discussion and Analysis is not a required part of the financial 

statements, but is supplementary information required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. 

We have applied certain limited procedures, which consisted principally of inquiries of management 

regarding the methods of measurement and presentation of this information. However, we did not audit 

this information and, accordingly, we express no opinion on it.

The information in the Chairman’s Message, Performance Section, and Other Accompanying Information 

is presented for purposes of additional analysis and is not required as part of the financial statements. 

This information has not been subjected to auditing procedures and, accordingly, we express no opinion 

on it.
Responsibilities

Management’s Responsibilities. Management is responsible for the preparation of financial statements, 

establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and complying with laws, 

regulations, contracts, and grant agreements applicable to the Council.

Auditor’s Responsibilities. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based 

on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the 

United States of America; the standards applicable to financial audits contained in the U.S. Government 

Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; and Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 17-03, Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements. Those 

standards and OMB Bulletin No. 17-03 require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable 

assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in 

the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the 

assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. 

In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the agency’s 

preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are 

appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of 

the agency’s internal control. Accordingly, we do not express on such opinion. An audit also includes 

evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant estimates 

made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We 

believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our 

opinion.

The Council’s written response to the instance of noncompliance or other matters identified in our audit is 

attached to our report, and was not subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the 

Council’s financial statements and, accordingly, we express no opinion on it.

Gaithersburg, Maryland

January 30, 2018
Independent Auditor’s Report

Exhibit A: Instances of Non-Compliance

Non-Compliance with the Prompt Payment Act 

Conditions: The Council does not appear to comply with the Prompt Payment Act. During our audit, we 

noted one instance where payment to the vendor was not made within the required time period.

Criteria: The Prompt Payment Act and 5 CFR Part 1315 require that payments should be made to 

vendors within 30 days from the time a proper invoice is received. 

Cause/Effect: Due to limited resources, the Council contracts certain accounting services to a third party 

service provider, those services include remitting payments to vendors. Although the invoice was 

submitted to the third party service provider within the allowed 30-day time frame, it was not soon 

enough to enable compliance. The delay in processing the invoice resulted in a violation of the Prompt 

Payment Act.

Recommendations: We recommend that the Council continue to work with the third party service provider 

to ensure invoices are remitted in sufficient time to allow the third party service provider to process 

vendor payments to ensure compliance. In addition, we recommend the Council strengthen internal 

control procedures to monitor the third party payment for timeliness. 

Management’s Response: 

The Council concurs that there was one prompt payment violation in fiscal year 2017. The Council

received and processed the payable within the prompt payment timeline; however, the time it took to 

process the payment through our financial provider extended beyond the 30-day time frame. The 

Council’s management believes this is an isolated incident given our processing rate for fiscal year 2017 

was 99.99% in compliance with the Prompt Payment Act. 

The Council will continue to work with our financial services provider to ensure invoices are remitted in 

sufficient time to allow the provider to process vendor payments to ensure compliance. 
2017 2016

Assets:

 Intragovernmental:

 Fund Balance With Treasury (Note 2) $ 1,056,279.10 $ 1,378,117.07

 Other:

 Advances and Prepayments (Note 3) 93,356.98 118,838.55

 Total Intragovernmental 1,149,636.08 1,496,955.62

 Assets With The Public:

 Accounts Receivable, net (Note 4) 2,086.28 293.23 

 Direct Loan and Loan Guarantees, Net (Note 5) 11,959.01 

 General Property, Plant and Equipment, Net (Note 6) 11,676.74 14,881.32 

Total Assets $ 1,163,399.10 $ 1,524,089.18

Liabilities: (Note 7)

 Intragovernmental:

 Accounts Payable 2,000.00

 Other: (Note 8)

 Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable 11,098.73 13,383.81 

 Total Intragovernmental 13,098.73 13,383.81 

 Liabilities With the Public:

 Accounts Payable 334,831.13 132,730.46

 Other: (Note 8)

 Accrued Funded Payroll and Leave 51,118.40 47,260.80 

 Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable 1,546.79 1,922.36 

 Unfunded Leave 83,941.25 88,710.58 

Total Liabilities $ 484,536.30 $ 284,008.01

Net Position:

749,041.03 1,301,658.19

(70,178.23) (61,577.02)

678,862.80 1,240,081.17

 Total Net Position $ 678,862.80 $ 1,240,081.17

Total Liabilities and Net Position $ 1,163,399.10 $ 1,524,089.18

 Unexpended Appropriations - All Other Funds (Consolidated

 Totals)

 Cumulative Results of Operations - All Other Funds

 (Consolidated Totals)

 Total Net Position - All Other Funds (Consolidated

 Totals)

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

BALANCE SHEET

As Of September 30, 2017 and 2016

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

1
2017 2016

Program Costs:

 NCD:

 Gross Costs (Note 10) $ 3,818,512.37 $ 3,045,306.93

 Net Program Costs 3,818,512.37 3,045,306.93

Net Cost of Operations $ 3,818,512.37 $ 3,045,306.93

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

STATEMENT OF NET COST

As Of And For The Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

2
Funds From Dedicated 

Collections 

(Consolidated Totals)

All Other Funds 

(Consolidated Totals) Eliminations Consolidated Total

Cumulative Results from Operations:

Beginning Balances $ - $ (61,577.02) $ (61,577.02)

Beginning balance, as adjusted - (61,577.02) - (61,577.02)

Budgetary Financing Sources:

Appropriations used $ - $ 3,761,177.70 $ 3,761,177.70

Other Financing Sources (Non-Exchange):

Imputed financing - 48,733.46 48,733.46 

Total Financing Sources - 3,809,911.16 - 3,809,911.16

Net Cost of Operations - 3,818,512.37 3,818,512.37

Net Change $ - $ (8,601.21) $ (8,601.21)

Cumulative Results of Operations $ - $ (70,178.23) $ (70,178.23)

Unexpended Appropriations:

Beginning Balance $ - $ 1,301,658.19 $ 1,301,658.19

Budgetary Financing Sources:

Appropriations received - 3,250,000.00 3,250,000.00

Other adjustments - (41,439.46) (41,439.46)

Appropriations used - (3,761,177.70) (3,761,177.70)

Total Budgetary Financing Sources - (552,617.16) (552,617.16)

Total Unexpended Appropriations - 749,041.03 749,041.03

Net Position $ - $ 678,862.80 $ 678,862.80

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET POSITION

As Of And For The Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

FY 2017 (CY)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

3
Funds From Dedicated 

Collections 

(Consolidated Totals)

All Other Funds 

(Consolidated Totals) Eliminations Consolidated Total

Cumulative Results from Operations:

Beginning Balances $ $ (70,864.09) $ (70,864.09)

Beginning balance, as adjusted (70,864.09) (70,864.09)

Budgetary Financing Sources:

Appropriations used $ 2,981,561.70 $ 2,981,561.70

Other Financing Sources (Non-Exchange):

Imputed financing 73,032.30 73,032.30 

Total Financing Sources 3,054,594.00 3,054,594.00

Net Cost of Operations 3,045,306.93 3,045,306.93

Net Change $ $ 9,287.07 $ 9,287.07

Cumulative Results of Operations $ $ (61,577.02) $ (61,577.02)

Unexpended Appropriations:

Beginning Balance $ 1,084,176.92 $ 1,084,176.92

Budgetary Financing Sources:

Appropriations received 3,250,000.00 3,250,000.00

Other adjustments (50,957.03) (50,957) 

Appropriations used (2,981,561.70) (2,981,561.70)

Total Budgetary Financing Sources 217,481.27 217,481.27

Total Unexpended Appropriations 1,301,658.19 1,301,658.19

Net Position $ $ 1,240,081.17 $ 1,240,081.17

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET POSITION

As Of And For The Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

FY 2016 (PY)

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

4
2017 2016

Budgetary Budgetary

BUDGETARY RESOURCES

Unobligated balance brought forward, Oct 1 $ 184,507.59 $ 253,092.31

Unobligated balance brought forward, Oct 1, adjusted 184,507.59 253,092.31

Recoveries of prior year unpaid obligations 241,727.75 388,156.33

Other changes in unobligated balance (+ or -) (28,633.58) (30,946.51)

Unobligated balance from prior year budget authority, net 397,601.76 610,302.13

Appropriations (discretionary and mandatory) 3,250,000.00 3,250,000.00

Total budgetary resources $ 3,860,302.13 3,647,601.76 $ 

STATUS OF BUDGETARY RESOURCES

New obligations and upward adjustments (total) (Note 11) $ 3,675,794.54 3,441,808.48 $ 

Unobligated balance, end of year:

Apportioned, unexpired account 12,278.81 52,825.94 

Unapportioned, unexpired accounts 135.53 135.53 

Unexpired unobligated balance, end of year 12,414.34 52,961.47 

Expired unobligated balance, end of year 193,378.94 131,546.12

Unobligated balance, end of year (total) 205,793.28 184,507.59

Total budgetary resources $ 3,860,302.13 3,647,601.76 $ 

CHANGE IN OBLIGATED BALANCE

Unpaid obligations:

Unpaid obligations, brought forward, Oct 1 $ 958,197.56 1,193,609.48 $ 

New obligations and upward adjustments 3,441,808.48 3,675,794.54

Outlays (gross) (-) (3,543,204.39) (3,052,226.29)

Recoveries of prior year unpaid obligations (-) (241,727.75) (388,156.33)

Unpaid obligations, end of year 850,485.82 1,193,609.48

Obligated balance, start of year (+ or -) 1,193,609.48 958,197.56

Obligated balance, end of year (+ or -) $ 850,485.82 $ 1,193,609.48

BUDGET AUTHORITY AND OUTLAYS, NET

Budget authority, gross (discretionary and mandatory) $ 3,250,000.00 3,250,000.00 $ 

Actual offsetting collections (discretionary and mandatory) (-) (12,805.88) (20,010.52)

Recoveries of prior year paid obligations (discretionary and mandatory) 12,805.88 20,010.52 

Budget authority, net (total) (discretionary and mandatory) 3,250,000.00 3,250,000.00

Outlays, gross (discretionary and mandatory) 3,543,204.39 3,052,226.29

Actual offsetting collections (discretionary and mandatory) (-) (12,805.88) (20,010.52)

Outlays, net (discretionary and mandatory) 3,530,398.51 3,032,215.77

Agency outlays, net (discretionary and mandatory) $ 3,032,215.77 3,530,398.51 $ 

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

STATEMENT OF BUDGETARY RESOURCES

As Of And For The Years Ended September 30, 2017 and 2016

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

5
6 of 19 

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY 

GENERAL FUND

NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

Reporting Entity 

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent agency of the Executive 

Branch of the United States Government that makes recommendations to the President 

and Congress on issues affecting Americans with disabilities. 

NCD was initially established in 1978 as an advisory board within the Department of 

Education (Public Law 95-602). The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1984 (Public 

Law 98-221) transformed NCD into an independent agency and required NCD to 

provide expert advice to Congress and the Administration. The Rehabilitation Act 

Amendments of 1992 and 1998 and the Education of the Deaf Act Technical 

Amendments of 1993 updated NCD’s statutory mandate. 

NCD is comprised of a team of Presidential and Congressional appointees, an 

Executive Director appointed by the Chair, and a full-time professional staff. The 

Council members set the agency budget and establish the parameters for what it will 

support. The NCD executive director has full responsibility for carrying out the agency’s 

operations as necessary to accomplish the goals and mission of the agency as 

established by the Council members. 

NCD’s overall purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that 

guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature 

or severity of the disability; and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve 

economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all 

aspects of society. This mission is accomplished by serving as a policy agency that 

publishes reports and works with other federal agencies on policy development and 

implementing best practices. 

Basis of Presentation 

These financial statements have been prepared from the accounting records of NCD in 

accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as promulgated by 

the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), and the form and content 

for entity financial statements specified by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

in OMB Circular No. A-136, “Financial Reporting Requirements.” GAAP for Federal 

entities is the hierarchy of accounting principles prescribed in Statement of Federal 

Financial Accounting Standards (SFFAS) 34, “The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted 

Accounting Principles, Including the Application of Standards issued by the Financial 

Accounting Standards Board.” 
7 of 19 

NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - (CONTINUED) 

Basis of Presentation – (Continued) 

OMB Circular No. A-136 requires agencies to prepare principal statements, include a 

Balance Sheet, Statement of Net Cost, Statement of Changes in Net Position, 

Statement of Budgetary Resources. The balance sheet presents, as of September 30, 

2017, amounts of future economic benefits owned or managed by NCD (assets), 

amounts owed by NCD (liabilities), and amounts which comprise the difference (net 

position). The Statement of Net Cost reports the full cost of the program, both direct 

and indirect costs of the output, and the costs of identifiable supporting services 

provided by other segments within NCD and other reporting entities. The Statement of 

Budgetary Resources reports an agency’s budgetary activity. 

Basis of Accounting 

Transactions are recorded on the accrual accounting basis in accordance with OMB 

Circular No. A-136. Under the accrual basis of accounting, revenues are recognized 

when earned, and expenses are recognized when a liability is incurred, without regard 

to receipt or payment of cash. 

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and 

assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of 

contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported 

amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may 

differ from those estimates. 

Budgets and Budgetary Accounting 

NCD follows standard federal budgetary accounting policies and practices in 

accordance with OMB Circular A-11, “Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the 

Budget,” dated July 2017. Budgetary accounting facilitates compliance with legal 

constraints and controls over the use of federal funds. Each year, Congress provides 

NCD appropriations to incur obligations in support of agency programs. For Fiscal 

Years (FY) 2017 and 2016, NCD is accountable for general fund appropriations and noyear fund carryover. NCD recognizes budgetary resources as assets when cash (funds 

held by Treasury) is made available through warrants and when spending authority from 

the offsetting collections is incurred. 
8 of 19 

Revenues and Other Financing Sources 

NCD receives substantially all the funding needed to support its programs through 

appropriations. NCD receives annual and no-year appropriations that may be used, 

within statutory limits, for operating and capital expenditures. Appropriations are 

recognized as revenues as the related programs or administrative expenses are 

incurred. 

Other financing sources for NCD consist of imputed financing sources which are costs 

financed by other federal entities on behalf of NCD, as required by SFFAS No. 5, 

“Accounting for Liabilities of the Federal Government.” In certain instances, operating 

costs of NCD are paid out of funds appropriated to other federal agencies. In 

accordance with SFFAS 5, all expenses of a federal entity should be reported by that 

agency regardless of whether the agency will ultimately pay those expenses. Amounts 

for certain expenses of NCD, which will be paid by other federal agencies, are recorded 

in the Statement of Net Cost. A related amount is recognized in the Statement of 

Changes in Net Position as an imputed financing source. NCD records imputed 

expenses and financing sources for employee retirement plan contributions, group term 

life insurance, and health benefit costs, which are paid by the Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM). 

Personnel Compensation and Benefits 

Salaries and wages of employees are recognized as accrued payroll expenses and 

related liabilities as earned. These expenses are recognized as a funded liability when 

accrued. Annual leave is accrued as it is earned by employees and is included in 

personnel compensation and benefit costs. An unfunded liability is recognized for 

earned but unused annual leave, since from a budgetary standpoint, this annual leave 

will be paid from future appropriations when employees use the leave. The amount 

accrued is based upon current pay rates for employees. Sick leave and other types of 

leave that are not vested are expensed when used and no future liability is recognized 

for these amounts. 

NCD’s employees participate in one of two retirement programs, either the Civil Service 

Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), 

which became effective on January 1, 1987. NCD and its employees both contribute to 

these systems. Although NCD funds a portion of the benefits under CSRS and FERS 

and makes the necessary payroll withholdings, it does not report assets associated with 

these benefit plans in accordance with SFFAS 5. 

For CSRS employees, NCD contributes an amount equal to 7% of the employees’ basic 

pay to the plan. For FERS employees, NCD contributes an amount equal to 13.7% of 

the employees’ basic pay to the plan. For FERS-RAE and FRAE employees, NCD 

contributes an amount equal to 11.9% of the employees’ basic pay to the plan. 

Both CSRS employees and FERS employees are eligible to participate in the Thrift 

Savings Plan (TSP). The TSP is a defined contribution retirement plan intended to 
9 of 19 

NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - (CONTINUED) 

supplement the benefits provided under CSRS and FERS. For FERS employees, NCD 

contributes an amount equal to 1% of the employee’s basic pay to the TSP and 

matches employee contributions up to an additional 4%. CSRS employees receive no 

matching contribution from NCD. 

OPM is responsible for reporting assets, accumulated plan benefits, and unfunded 

liabilities, if any, applicable to CSRS participants and FERS employees’ governmentwide, including NCD’s employees. NCD has recognized an Imputed Cost and Imputed 

Financing Source for the difference between the estimated service cost and the 

contributions made by NCD and its covered employees. The estimated cost of pension 

benefits is based on rates issued by OPM. 

Employees are entitled to participate in the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance 

(FEGLI) Program. Participating employees can obtain “basic life” term life insurance, 

with the employee paying two-thirds of the cost and NCD paying one-third. Additional 

coverage is optional, to be paid fully by the employee. The basic life coverage may be 

continued into retirement if certain requirements are met. OPM administers the FEGLI 

program and is responsible for the reporting of related liabilities. Each fiscal year, OPM 

calculates the U.S. Government’s service cost for the post-retirement portion of basic 

life coverage. Because NCD’s contributions to the basic life coverage are fully allocated 

by OPM to the pre-retirement portion of coverage, the Board has recognized the entire 

service cost of the post-retirement portion of basic life coverage as an Imputed Cost and 

Imputed Financing Source. 

Assets and Liabilities 

Intra-governmental assets and liabilities arise from transactions between NCD and other 

Federal entities. 

Funds with the U.S. Treasury comprise the majority of assets on NCD’s balance sheet. 

All other assets result from activity with non-federal sources. 

Liabilities represent amounts that are likely to be paid by NCD as a result of 

transactions that have already occurred. The accounts payable portion of liabilities 

consists of amounts owed to federal agencies and commercial vendors for goods, 

services, and other expenses received but not yet paid. 

Liabilities covered by budgetary or other resources are those liabilities of NCD for which 

Congress has appropriated funds, or funding is otherwise available to pay amounts due. 
10 of 19 

NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - (CONTINUED) 

Fund Balance with Treasury 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) processes NCD’s receipts and 

disbursements. Fund Balance with Treasury is the aggregate amount of the agency’s 

accounts with Treasury for which the agency is authorized to liquidate obligations, pay 

funded liabilities, and make expenditures. The fund balance is increased through the 

receipt of non-expenditure Treasury warrants for appropriations, positive nonexpenditure transfers, and other expenditure inflows of funds. The Fund Balance with 

Treasury is reduced through non-expenditure Treasury Warrants for recissions, 

negative non-expenditure transfers, disbursements, and other expenditure cash 

outflows of funds. 

NCD’s funds with the U.S. Treasury are cash balances from appropriations as of the 

fiscal year-end from which NCD is authorized to make expenditures and pay liabilities 

resulting from operational activity. 

General Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net

Property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) have been defined in the Federal Government 

as tangible items owned by the Federal Government and having an expected useful life 

of greater than two years. NCD has established the following policies for PP&E: 

PP&E is reported at acquisition cost. 

The capitalization threshold is $5,000 for assets with a useful life of two or more years. 

For bulk purchases, items will be capitalized when the individual useful lives are at least 

two years and the property has an aggregate value of $100,000 or more. 

Acquisitions of PP&E that do not meet the capitalization criteria outlined above are 

recorded as operating expenses. General PP&E consists of items that are used by 

NCD to support its mission. 

Depreciation on assets is calculated using the straight-line method. Depreciation 

begins the month after the asset is placed in service. 

Useful lives are as follows: 

 Equipment - 4 years 

 Furniture - 4 years 

Maintenance, repairs and minor renovations are expensed as incurred. Expenditures 

that materially increase values, change capacities, or extend useful lives are capitalized. 
11 of 19 

NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - (CONTINUED) 

General Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net – (Continued)

The costs of any leasehold improvements financed with NCD appropriated funds is 

capitalized if the total cost exceeds $25,000. Construction costs are accumulated as 

“construction in-progress” until completion, at which time they are transferred to 

“leasehold improvements” and depreciated over 7 years or the remainder of the lease, 

whichever is less. 

Internal use software development and acquisition costs of $25,000 are capitalized as 

“software development-in-progress” until the development stage is completed and the 

software is successfully tested. At acceptance, “software development-in-progress” 

costs are reclassified as “internal use software” and amortized using the straight-line 

method over an estimated useful life of 4 years. Purchased commercial software that 

does not meet the capitalization criteria is expensed. Enhancements that do not add 

significant new capability or functionality are expensed. 

Prepaid and Deferred Charges 

Payments in advance of the receipt of goods and services are recorded as prepaid 

charges at the time of prepayment and recognized as expenses when the related goods 

and services are received. 

Liabilities 

Liabilities represent amounts expected to be paid as the result of a transaction or event 

that has already occurred. Liabilities covered by budgetary resources are liabilities 

incurred which are covered by realized budgetary resources as of the balance sheet 

date. Available budgetary resources include new budget authority, spending authority 

from the offsetting collections, recoveries of unexpired budget authority through 

downward adjustments of prior year obligations, and unobligated balances of budgetary 

resources at the beginning of the year. Unfunded liabilities are not considered to be 

covered by such budgetary resources. Examples of unfunded liabilities are actuarial 

liabilities for future Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) payments and 

annual leave. The Government, acting in its sovereign capacity, can abrogate liabilities 

arising from other than contracts. 

Contingencies 

The criteria for recognizing contingencies for claims are (1) a past event or exchange 

transaction has occurred as of the date of the statements; (2) a future outflow or other 

sacrifice of resources is probable; and (3) the future outflow or sacrifice of resources is 

measurable (reasonably estimated). NCD recognizes material contingent liabilities in 

the form of claims, legal action, administrative proceedings and environmental suits that 

have been brought to the attention of legal counsel. 
12 of 19 

NOTE 1 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - (CONTINUED) 

Net Position 

Net position consists of unexpended appropriations and cumulative results of 

operations. Unexpended appropriations represent amounts of budgetary authority to 

include unobligated or obligated balances not rescinded or withdrawn. Cumulative 

results of operations are comprised of the following: (1) the difference between 

revenues and expenses, (2) the net amount of transfers of assets in and out without 

reimbursement, and (3) donations, all since inception of the fund(s). 

Funds from Dedicated Collections 

SFFAS 43 replaced SFFAS 27 and resulted in a significant change in the definition of 

what was previously known as "earmarked funding." SFFAS 43 states that funds 

from dedicated collections are financed by specifically identified revenues, provided to 

the government by non-federal sources, often supplemented by other financing sources, 

which remain available over time. These specifically identified revenues and other 

financing sources are required by statute to be used for designated activities, benefits or 

purposes, and must be accounted for separately from the government’s general 

revenues. 

As of FY 2014 it was determined that NCD funding that previously was designated 

"earmarked" did not qualify under the new definition for "Funds 

from Dedicated Collections" and are not presented separately in these financial 

statements. 

NOTE 2 – FUND BALANCE WITH TREASURY 

All of NCD’s fund balance with treasury is coming from appropriations. No trust, 

revolving or other fund type are used to fund NCD’s activities. NCD operates as an 

annual fund, where each year is a new appropriation. This fund balance with treasury is 

a consolidated balance of one no-year fund and five annual funds (FY 2013, FY 2014, 

FY 2015, and FY 2016 and FY 2017). The annual fund for FY 2012 is cancelled and 

the remaining fund balance of $41,439.46 is given back to US Treasury during fiscal 

year 2017. 
13 of 19 

NOTE 2 – FUND BALANCE WITH TREASURY (CONTINUED) 

A. Fund Balance with Treasury 2017 2016

General Fund 1,056,279.10 1,378,117.07 

B. Status of Fund Balance with Treasury

1) Unobligated Balance

a) Available 72,278.81 52,825.94 

b) Unavailable 169,267.47 131,681.65 

 241,546.28 184,507.59 

2) Obligated Balance not yet Disbursed 814,732.82 1,193,609.48 

Total 1,056,279.10 1,378,117.07 

NOTE 3 – ADVANCES AND PREPAYMENTS 

Advances and Prepayments represents advances to Government Publishing Office 

Deposit Accounts.

2017 2016

Deferred 93,356.98 118,838.55 

Total 93,356.98 118,838.55 

NOTE 4 – ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET 

Accounts Receivable, Net from the Public represents the Accounts Receivable from 

current employees. NCD has historically collected any receivables due and thus has 

not established an allowance for uncollectible accounts. 

2017 2016

Accounts Receivable - With the Public 2,086.28 293.23 

NOTE 5 – LOANS RECEIVABLE, NET 

Loans Receivable, Net from the Public represents a Loan Receivable from a current 

employee. 

2017 2016

Loans Receivable - With the Public - 11,959.01 
14 of 19 

NOTE 6 - GENERAL PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET 

NCD’s total cost, accumulated depreciation, and net book value for PPE for the years 

ending September 30, 2017 and 2016 are as follows. 

2017 Equipment Furniture 

& Fixtures 

Software Software in 

Development 

Total 

Cost $15,452.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $15,452.00 

Accum. 

Depr. ($3,775.26) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 ($3,775.26)

Net Book 

Value $11,676.74 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $11,676.74 

2016 Equipment Furniture 

& Fixtures 

Software Software in 

Development 

Total 

Cost $15,452.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $15,452.00

Accum. 

Depr. 

($570.68) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 ($570.68) 

Net Book 

Value 

$14,881.32 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $14,881.32
15 of 19 

NOTE 7 – LIABILITIES NOT COVERED BY BUDGETARY RESOURCES 

Liabilities of the NCD are classified as liabilities covered or not covered by budgetary 

resources. As of September 30, 2017, the NCD had liabilities covered by budgetary 

resources of $400,595.05 and liabilities not covered by budgetary resources of 

$83,941.25. As of September 30, 2016, the NCD had liabilities covered by budgetary 

resources of $195,297.43 and liabilities not covered by budgetary resources of 

$88,710.58. 

2017 2016

Intragovernmental

Accounts Payable 2,000.00 $ 

Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable 11,098.73 $ 13,383.81 $ 

Total Intragovernmental 13,098.73 13,383.81 

With the Public

Accounts Payable 334,831.13 132,730.46 

Accrued Funded Payroll and Leave 51,118.40 47,260.80 

Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable 1,546.79 1,922.36 

Unfunded Leave 83,941.25 88,710.58 

Total With the Public 471,437.57 270,624.20 

Total Liabilities 484,536.30 $ 284,008.01 $ 

Total liabilities not covered by budgetary resources 83,941.25 $ 88,710.58 $ 

Total liabilities covered by budgetary resources 400,595.05 195,297.43 

Total Liabilities 484,536.30 $ 284,008.01 $ 
16 of 19 

NOTE 8 – OTHER LIABILITIES 

Other liabilities with the public for the year ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 consist 

of Accrued Funded Payroll and Leave, Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes 

Payable, and Unfunded Leave in the amounts shown below. Other Intragovernmental 

liabilities consist of Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable. 

Non-Current Current Total

Intragovernmental

Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable $ - $ 11,098.73 $ 11,098.73 

Total Intragovernmental - 11,098.73 11,098.73 

Liabilities with the Public

Accrued Funded Payroll & Leave 51,118.40 51,118.40 

Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable - 1,546.79 1,546.79 

Unfunded Leave 83,941.25 83,941.25 

Total Liabilities with the Public 83,941.25 52,665.19 136,606.44 

Total Other Liabilities $ 83,941.25 $ 63,763.92 $ 147,705.17 

Non-Current Current Total

Intragovernmental

Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable $ - $ 13,383.81 $ 13,383.81 

Total Intragovernmental - 13,383.81 13,383.81 

Liabilities with the Public

Accrued Funded Payroll & Leave 47,260.80 47,260.80 

Employer Contributions and Payroll Taxes Payable - 1,922.36 1,922.36 

Unfunded Leave 88,710.58 88,710.58 

Total Liabilities with the Public 88,710.58 49,183.16 137,893.74 

Total Other Liabilities $ 88,710.58 $ 62,566.97 $ 151,277.55 

FY 2016

FY 2017
17 of 19 

Fiscal Year Ended Minimum Lease Payments

September 30, 2018 282,076 

September 30, 2019 285,100 

September 30, 2020 288,215 

September 30, 2021 257,804 

 1,113,195

NOTE 9 - LEASES

Entity as Lessee: 

Operating Leases 

NCD leases office space at 1331 F Street, NW, Washington, DC. The lease was 

entered on August 29, 2012 for a period of 10-years retroactive August 22, 2011 

continuing through August 21, 2021. The lease and space may be vacated at any time 

upon four (4) months written notice. 

The following is a schedule of future minimum lease payments required by the lease: 

NOTE 10 – COSTS AND EXCHANGE REVENUE 

Intragovernmental costs are those of goods/services purchased from a federal entity. 

Total Total 

2017 2016

Program A

Intragovernmental costs 816,112.39 775,846.84 

Public costs 3,002,399.98 2,269,460.09 

Total Program A costs 3,818,512.37 3,045,306.93 

Total Program A net costs 3,818,512.37 3,045,306.93 

NOTE 11 – APPORTIONMENT CATEGORIES OF NEW OBLIGATIONS AND 

UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS: DIRECT VS. REIMBURSABLE OBLIGATIONS 

Obligations for NCD are category B, which is the amount of direct obligations incurred 

against amounts apportioned under category B on the latest SF 132. 

2017 2016

Direct

Category B 3,441,808.48 3,675,794.54 

 3,675,794.54 3,441,808.48 
18 of 19 

NOTE 12 – UNDELIVERED ORDERS AT THE END OF THE PERIOD

The amount of NCD’s undelivered orders was $567,494.75 and $1,117,150.60 as of 

September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. 

NOTE 13 – EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SBR AND THE 

BUDGET OF THE US GOVERNMENT 

SFFAS No. 7, Accounting for Revenue and Other Financing Sources and Concepts for 

Reconciling Budgetary and Financial Accounting, requires an explanation of material 

differences between budgetary resources available, the status of those resources and 

outlays as presented in the Statement of Budgetary Resources to the related actual 

balances published in the Budget of the United States Government (Budget). The 

Budget that will include FY 2017 actual budgetary execution information is scheduled 

for publication in February 2018, which will be available through OMB’s website at 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb. Accordingly, information required for such disclosure 

is not available at the time of publication of these financial statements. 

Balances reported in the FY 2016 SBR and the related President’s Budget reflected the 

following: 

FY2016

Budgetary 

Resources

New Obligations 

& Upward 

Adjustments 

(Total)

Distributed 

Offsetting 

Receipts Net Outlays

Statement of Budgetary Resources 3,860,302.13 $ 3,675,794.54 $ - $ 3,032,215.77 $ 

Budget of the U.S. Government 3,000,000.00 3,000,000.00 - $ 3,000,000.00 

Difference 860,302.13 $ 675,794.54 $ - $ 32,215.77 $ 

The difference between the Statement of Budgetary Resources and the Budget of the 

United States Government for budgetary resources, obligations incurred and net outlays 

are primarily due to rounding. A portion of the difference in the budgetary resources is 

due to expired unobligated balances being reported in the Statement of Budgetary 

Resources but not in the Budget of the United States Government.

Unpaid

Undelivered

Orders

Paid

Undelivered

Orders

Total

Undelivered

Orders

2017 449,890.77 $ 93,356.98 $ 543,247.75 $ 

2016 998,312.05 $ 118,838.55 $ 1,117,150.60 $ 
19 of 19 

NOTE 14 – RECONCILIATION OF NET COST OF OPERATIONS TO BUDGET 

Budgetary resources obligated are obligations for personnel, goods, services, benefits, 

etc. made by the NCD in order to conduct operations or acquire assets. Other (i.e., 

non-budgetary) financing resources are also utilized by the NCD in its program 

(proprietary) operations. For example, spending authority from offsetting collections 

and recoveries are financial resources from the recoveries of prior year obligations (e.g., 

the completion of a contract where not all the funds were used) and refunds or other 

collections (i.e., funds used to conduct operations that were previously budgeted). An 

imputed financing source is recognized for future federal employee benefits costs 

incurred for the NCD employees that will be funded by OPM. Changes in budgetary 

resources obligated for goods, services, and benefits ordered by not yet provided 

represents the difference between the beginning and ending balances of undelivered 

orders (i.e., good and services received during the year based on obligations incurred 

the prior year represent a cost of operations not funded from budgetary resources). 

Resources that finance the acquisition of assets are budgetary resources used to 

finance assets and not cost of operations (e.g., increases in accounts receivables or 

capitalized assets). Financing sources yet to be provided represents financing that will 

be provided in future periods for future costs that are recognized in determining the net 

cost of operations for the present period. Finally, components not requiring or 

generating resources are costs included in the net cost of operations that do not require 

resources (e.g., depreciation and amortized expenses of assets previously capitalized).

 

A reconciliation between budgetary resources obligated and net cost of operations (i.e., 

providing an explanation between budgetary and financial (proprietary) accounting) is 

as follows (note: in prior years this information was presented as a separate financial 

statement (the Statement of Financing): 

2017 2016

Budgetary Resources Obligated 3,441,808.48 3,675,794.54 

Spending Authority from Recoveries and Offsetting 

Collections (408,166.85) (254,533.63) 

Imputed Financing from Costs Absorbed by Others 48,733.46 73,032.30 

Changes in Budgetary Resources Obligated for Goods, 

Services, and Benefits Ordered but Not Yet Provided (286,065.99) 573,902.85 

Resources that Finance the Acquisition of Assets 10,165.96 (8,738.22) 

Increase in Annual Leave Liability (4,769.33) (1,119.53) 

Depreciation and Amortization 3,204.58 570.68 

Net Cost of Operations 3,818,512.37 3,045,306.93 

NOTE 15 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 

In preparing these financial statements, management has evaluated events and 

transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through January 30, 2018, which is 

the date the financial statements were available to be issued. 
Performance Section

Section 5
Performance Section

GOAL: Advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by promoting 

policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity and 

provide for economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration 

into all aspects of society for individuals with disabilities.

NCD’s history and future is inextricably linked to the ADA. In 1986, NCD advised the 

President and Congress to pass a civil rights law for people with disabilities and in 1988

NCD wrote the first version of the ADA that was introduced in the House and Senate. 

Since that time, NCD has diligently monitored and reported on the ADA’s 

implementation; any threats posed to it; and policies, programs, practices, and 

procedures that advance the ADA’s goals. 

We have the following two objectives to facilitate achieving this goal:

1. Engage stakeholders in order to assess concerns and priorities and build a 

network of NCD partners.

2. Address stakeholder concerns and priorities by advancing specific, practical 

policy solutions and encouraging collaboration.

FY 2017 Results – Engagement

NCD regularly hears from its stakeholders throughout each year both through letters, 

emails, faxes, and calls received to our office and through created opportunities such as 

policy forums; public testimony received at meetings in person or by telephone; 

participation at conferences and meetings of stakeholder groups; congressional office 

visits; and communications the Council Members have with their disability-related 

organizational ties.

In addition to these opportunities, NCD’s legislation mandates a minimum of four public 

meetings annually. Some of NCD’s most important activities occur during the quarterly 

meetings. Public comment sessions and town halls, full-length presentations by 

stakeholders, and opportunities to meet with additional stakeholders in the disability 

community who attend the meetings afford NCD the opportunity to identify needs as well 

as promising practices in communities and regions across the country, which can be 

highlighted in our reports as findings and the basis of recommendations. NCD also has a 

history of playing a convening role, advancing policy discussions in the process, by 

bringing diverse stakeholders together that may not otherwise have policy discussions 

with one another. 

Throughout the life of the agency, NCD has closely consulted stakeholders as key 

advisors in shaping NCD’s policy endeavors. NCD employs a wide array of 

communication tools to stay connected to our constituency, both to hear from them and 

also to make them aware of the recommendations we are offering to policymakers. 
Performance Section (Continued)

Agency Website – NCD’s website houses all of its reports to Congress and the 

President and acts as an online “library” for many individuals interested in learning more 

about the implementation of certain disability laws and the gaps that remain in securing 

equality of opportunity for Americans with disabilities. We regularly hear from students in 

the U.S. and abroad who make use of our reports, as well as from congressional staff 

and interns who are learning more about a particular subject that has recently been 

added to their portfolio and who make use of our online reports to equip them with 

valuable information. In FY 2017, 155,726 users visited NCD’s agency website, and 

approximately 89% of those users were new to the NCD.gov website. Webstat analysis 

estimates that over half of NCD’s online visitors are millennials under the age of 34. This 

is not surprising in view of NCD’s emphasis on engagement through social media 

channels and given some of the recent NCD research content, which has included 

emphasis on college students. After having observed a year-over-year uptick in mobile 

users accessing the NCD website, in FY16, NCD updated its website to be mobile 

responsive. This has proven to be a prudent decision, with nearly 30 percent of users 

accessing the NCD.gov website through their mobile devices in FY2017 based on 

website analytics. 

The five most commonly viewed reports in FY 2017 continue to provide evidence of the 

timeliness and applicability of NCD’s work to current policymaking discussions, the 

diversity of NCD’s stakeholders’ interests, the breadth of NCD’s work, and the relevance 

of our reports, even years after their release –

1. Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their 

Children (2012, and also re-released with a plain language toolkit in May 2016)

2. A Medicaid Block Grant Program: Implications for People with Disabilities (2013)

3. The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities (2009)

4. Serving Service Members and Veterans with PTSD and TBI (2009)

5. Home and Community-Based Services: Creating Systems for Success at Home, 

at Work and in the Community (2015)

NCD Social Media and Listserv – NCD remains recognized and sought by the disability 

community as a leader in utilizing social media to engage stakeholders with our active 

Facebook and Twitter accounts. NCD staff continued to “live tweet” many disability policy 

events and hearings on Capitol Hill and the White House to bring information from these 

Washington, DC based events, which were neither webcast nor available for 

teleconference participation, to far wider audiences beyond the beltway. 

The total number of individuals who follow NCD’s Facebook page continued to show 

steady, increasing growth with the number of supporters rising to 30,762 as of January 

2018 – an increase of over 9,000 followers since the reporting in our last PAR 

submission.
Performance Section (Continued)

Similarly, NCD’s Twitter account from which we facilitate and host discussions among 

stakeholders and constituents and distribute important updates on disability policy 

concerns has risen to over 11,964 as of January 2018 – an increase of over 5,200 since 

the reporting in our last PAR submission. 

In FY2017, NCD conducted several Twitter chats and live tweeting, including: 

• May 18, 2017: Section 504 and Making Emergency Management More Accessible 

for People with Disabilities (co-hosted by FEMA)

• December 9, 2016: First Responders and Disability Event (underlying event cohosted by United Cerebral Palsy). 

• October 7, 2016: NCD Calls on Congress for a Technology Bill of Rights for 

People with Disabilities (underlying event was a congressional briefing on NCD’s 

annual progress report)

• October 4, 2016: Mental health challenges on college campuses (Twitter chat was 

to engage the community in support of research efforts related to NCD’s July 2017 

release of a report on the topic). 

NCD also continues to utilize its traditional email distribution listserv for constituents who 

favor this method of information delivery. Approximately 2,400 subscribers receive regular 

policy and activities updates from the agency using this method.

Public Comment – NCD conducted eight public comment periods during quarterly 

meetings of FY 2017 and received public input from individual citizens, organizational 

representatives, and self-advocates, either in written format by email, by phone or in 

person on the following topics: 

• Education and mental health

• Economic challenges to people with disabilities

• The linkages between disability and poverty

• Charter schools and vouchers within the context of IDEA rights

• Health care for people with disabilities

Conferences and Other Speaking Engagements – NCD receives numerous 

invitations each year to speak at conferences and other events and makes good use of 

the opportunities it accepts by sharing its latest policy findings and recommendations, 

sometimes with hundreds of attendees at each event. In FY 2017, highlights of such 

speaking engagements included:

• On December 9, 2016, NCD sponsored and organized a webcast forum with 

United Cerebral Palsy on police reform and the rights of people with disabilities.
Performance Section (Continued)

• On March 10, 2017, NCD staff attended a conference hosted by Partnership for 

Inclusive Disaster Strategies, and discussed NCD’s body of work and its role in 

ensuring that people with disabilities are considered before, during, and after an 

emergency. 

• On April 6, 2017, NCD staff gave a lecture at a conference of the National 

Council of State Agencies for the Blind and moderated a listening session 

regarding principles of technology accessibility.

• On June 18, 2017, NCD staff continued to participate in the periodic conference 

calls with Amtrak and representatives from disability-related organizations 

concerning railway accessibility.

• On June 14, 2017, NCD staff gave a presentation on NCD’s policy agenda, 

highlighting its education projects, at the Center for Educational Excellence in 

Washington DC.

• On June 12, 2017, NCD staff presented at a workshop called the “Guardianship 

Institute” that preceded the National Disability Rights Network annual conference.

• On June 5, 2017, an NCD Council Member, Executive Director, and staff, met 

with a representative from Airbnb in Chicago, Illinois, to discuss equal opportunity 

policies and access for individuals with disabilities.

• On July 13, 2017, NCD staff met with David Bahar from the Communication 

Service for the Deaf to discuss stakeholder views on the SBA 8(a) programs.

• On July 28, 2017, NCD staff met with Jordan Melograna, producer of the 

subminimum wage documentary “Bottom Dollars,” and the Creative Director at 

Rooted in Rights, a project of Disability Rights Washington, to discuss the 

potential for future collaboration.

International Delegations – Internationally, NCD continues to regularly host U.S. State 

Department delegations interested in U.S. disability rights and in the role of NCD in the 

federal government. In FY 2017, these delegation visits included those from Georgia, 

the Middle East & North Africa, Pakistan, and China.

Congressional and Federal Agency Engagement – Throughout FY 2017, NCD 

continued to deepen relationships as a trusted advisor in both Member and committee 

offices and federal agencies. NCD responds to calls and letters from individual 

congressional offices throughout each year that request disability-related information 

regarding constituents’ needs. In addition to serving as a resource for Members’ district 

offices, NCD strives to provide timely policy information and recommendations to 

legislative offices and federal agencies, both proactively and in response to direct 

requests. NCD staff provided electronic copies and in-person briefings of its policy 

reports and papers to legislative staff in the House and Senate and appropriate federal 

agencies throughout the past fiscal year. In addition, NCD staff has offered policy 

briefings on its reports’ major findings and recommendations, utilizing teleconferences 

and in-person Hill and agency briefing formats. Some highlights of NCD’s FY17

congressional and federal agency activity include the following:
Performance Section (Continued)

• NCD advised attorneys representing the Office of Tax Policy at the US Treasury 

Department regarding the tax burden of loan forgiveness granted to individuals 

deemed “severely disabled.”

• NCD met with the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) to 

discuss how NCD can assist ODIC in furthering its mission to ensure that people 

with disabilities are included in emergency management planning.

• NCD participated in a FEMA Disability Working Group to advise on FEMA’s 

Section 504 self-evaluation.

• NCD planned and participated in a congressional briefing regarding access to 

technology for people with disabilities, bringing industry leaders from Microsoft 

and IBM, disability advocacy leaders, and the U.S. Access Board together for the 

policy discussion. 

• NCD continued to regularly participate within the US Department of 

Transportation FTA Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM). The 

CCAM issues policy recommendations and implements activities that improve 

the availability, accessibility, and efficiency of transportation for older adults, 

people with disabilities, and individuals of low incomes.

• NCD staff worked with GAO to share information about its study on Vocational 

Rehabilitation (VR)’s implementation of pre-employment transition services under 

the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). GAO is using NCD’s 

report to inform its own study on VR/WIOA planned for release in 2018.

• NCD met with the Social Security Administration’s Disability Rights Consortium 

summer fellows to discuss social security disability policy.

• In conjunction with Rep. Gregg Harper’s office and in collaboration with several 

disability organizations, NCD planned and participated in a highly-attended 

congressional briefing on Capitol Hill regarding the elimination of the 14(c) 

provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (which allows payment of subminimum 

wages to people with disabilities).

• In early FY2017, the NCD Chairperson briefed Senate Commerce Committee 

staff from both parties on the impact that autonomous vehicle technology could 

have for the disability community and on potential barriers the technology or its 

regulation could inadvertently impose on people with disabilities.

• Several months later, at their request, NCD convened a stakeholder roundtable 

with bipartisan staff of the Senate Commerce Committee on autonomous vehicle 

technology, provided proposed legislative text, and later provided substantive 

feedback on the Senate draft bill language.

• NCD separately convened a stakeholder roundtable with bipartisan staff of the 

House Energy and Commerce Committee on autonomous vehicle technology 

and later provided substantive feedback on the House’s draft bill language. 

• NCD is an official member of, and continued to participate with, the Integrated 

Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Subcommittee to the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Advisory Council (NAC). The 

IPAWS Subcommittee will make recommendations through the NAC to ensure 
Performance Section (Continued)

that FEMA can provide timely and effective warnings regarding natural disasters, 

acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters or threats to public safety.

• NCD advised the Field Operation Chief for FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration 

and Coordination (ODIC) regarding the inclusion of people with disabilities in all 

phases of disaster planning exercises. NCD also attended ODIC’s disability 

workgroup which illustrated the role Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VAL) play in 

emergency management.

• NCD advised the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division regarding 

police reform and the rights of people with disabilities.

• NCD convened a policy forum regarding first responders and the disability 

community, which involved participation by DOJ Civil Rights Division, the White 

House Domestic Policy Council, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 

and disability advocates. NCD worked with the CMS Office of Minority Health to 

hear from stakeholders about how providers have successfully made changes to 

provide accessible care for their patients, and where there are still opportunities 

for improvement.

Media & Other Engagement – In FY 2017, the media sent NCD numerous requests for 

comments regarding our reports and policy positions or requested our assistance in 

locating an appropriate disability perspective on a topic of popular culture. Responding 

to these opportunities helps extend NCD’s reach well beyond our traditional audiences, 

gives us opportunities to promote our body of work in relation to “trending” topics, and 

often leads to new working relationships and ongoing coverage of important disability 

concerns in current events. FY 2017 highlights included: 

• On October 14, 2016, NCD’s Executive Director was interviewed and quoted in 

Rewire online magazine in an article titled “For Chicagoans, Mayor Emanuel’s 

Response to Police Brutality Is More of the Same” regarding police interactions 

with people with disabilities.

• On October 20, 2016, Working Mother magazine and website featured interviews 

with NCD’s Executive Director and a former NCD attorney in an article titled 

“These Working Moms Don't Let a Disability Diminish Their Career Prospects” 

regarding the rights of parents with disabilities.

• On November 18, 2016, NCD’s 2012 Subminimum Wage and Supported 

Employment report was referenced in an article in Nonprofit Quarterly titled, 

“Nonprofit Wage Ghettos and What We Should Do about Them” that included an 

extensive discussion of the 14(c) provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act that 

permits payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities. 

• On January 5, 2017, CNN featured quotes from NCD’s Executive Director 

regarding the abuse of people with disabilities in a piece titled, “Facebook video 

reminder of violence faced by disabled Americans.”

• On January 6, 2017, NCD’s 2011 Digital Inclusion report was referenced in a 

piece in Medium magazine titled “Inclusion in Tech.”
Performance Section (Continued)

• NCD’s advice to Congress regarding the regulatory idea of linking Social Security 

beneficiaries with representative payees to the National Instant Criminal 

Background Check System was featured prominently and frequently in hundreds 

of news outlets throughout FY2017.

• On May 2, 2017, NCD’s 2012 Subminimum Wage and Supported Employment 

report was referenced in several Missouri newspapers in a piece titled, 

“Sheltered workshops persevere under pressure from federal rules.”

• Popular culture magazines like Cosmopolitan have also featured NCD’s work, 

which at times strongly resonates with the American public with disabilities. On 

May 9, 2017, Cosmopolitan ran a piece that featured NCD’s 2012 Rocking the 

Cradle report on parenting rights in a piece titled, “The Insulting Childbirth 

Experiences Mothers With Disabilities Endure.” A short time later, Redbook, Elle, 

and Woman’s Day magazines ran the same piece.

• On May 11, 2017, following numerous policy forums NCD hosted with 

representatives from CMS and state government in regards to Medicaid 

managed care policies for long-term services and supports, including one such 

forum in Kansas, the Kansas City Star ran a piece about NCD’s advice to CMS 

titled “Caregivers of disabled left in dark under Kansas’ private healthcare 

system.” 

• On June 26, 2017, the Washington Post ran a story that featured NCD’s 2013 A 

Medicaid Block Grant Program: Implications for People with Disabilities report in 

an article on Medicaid. 

• On July 21, 2017, the Associated Press ran a piece based on the release of 

NCD’s Mental Health on College Campuses report titled, “Federal Study on 

College Mental Health Services Reveals Long Waiting Lists, Other Gaps and 

Barriers Impeding Student Success.”

• On August 8, 2017, Mother Jones ran a piece titled “Many People With 

Disabilities Are Being Paid Way Below the Minimum Wage, and It’s Perfectly 

Legal” that cited NCD’s 2012 Subminimum Wage and Supported Employment 

report. 

FY 2017 Results – Policy Development and Collaboration

In FY 2017, in addition to several reports developed in FY17 for a FY18 release 

(discussed in more detail below), NCD’s engagement activities and policy development 

activities remained complementary. Much of what NCD hears from its stakeholders 

throughout the year through the means of engagement outlined above informs the 

Council’s priority setting when selecting its slate of policy projects for the upcoming 

fiscal year. Likewise, once the policy projects are selected, NCD often relies upon 

engagement activities again during the research phase of a project, to convene focus 

groups, receive immediate input via Twitter chats on specific questions posed by 

researchers, and to receive expert information during quarterly meeting panel 

presentations. Once reports are written and released, engagement activities are again 
Performance Section (Continued)

employed to create awareness of the recommendations and work collaboratively toward 

their implementation, much of which includes further development of new policies. 

In FY 2017, NCD developed policy positions and recommendations for Congress, the 

President, and other federal agencies in the following publications and letters: 

• NCD 2017 Progress Report on the state of disability policy.

• NCD Letter to DOJ Regarding Web Accessibility NPRM

• NCD Letter to Treasury Regarding Tax Debt of Discharged Loans of Borrowers 

with Disabilities

• NCD Letter to FEMA Regarding Office of Disability Integration and Coordination

• NCD Letter to Congress Regarding Repeal of SSA NICS Rule

• NCD Letter to Committee on House Administration regarding Election Assistance 

Commission 

• NCD Letter to American Medical Association Regarding Physician Assisted 

Suicide

• NCD Comments to Department of Education Regarding Mandatory Civil Rights 

Data Collection

• NCD Principles for Public and Private Healthcare Reform

• NCD Letter to House Committee on Education and the Workforce on the H.R. 

1313, "Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act"

• NCD Letter to Congress regarding the proposed America's Health Care Act

• NCD Letter to CMS Administrator Verma Requesting Meeting Regarding 

Medicaid Policy

• NCD Letter to Congress Regarding Class Action Lawsuits Legislation

• NCD Letter to CMS Administrator Verma Regarding Medicaid HCBS Settings 

Rule

• NCD Report--Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, 

Accommodations Needed to Address Student Needs

• NCD Letter to FEMA Regarding New ODIC Director Following Hurricane Harvey

• NCD Letter to House Leadership Regarding "ADA Education and Reform Act of 

2017"

• NCD Letter to Rep. Scott Regarding Direct Care Bill

• NCD Letter to Senate Commerce Committee on Autonomous Vehicle Discussion 

Draft

• NCD Letter Regarding Graham-Cassidy Amendment

• NCD Letter to Attorney General Sessions about Police Interactions with People 

with Disabilities

• NCD Letter to Congressman Wenstrup Regarding Sense of Congress on 

Assisted Suicide
Performance Section (Continued)

A brief synopsis of the FY 2017 reports follows in the chart below.

Federal Agency Collaboration – Given the connection between NCD’s engagement 

and policy development objectives, rather than repeat many items previously noted, the 

highlights of NCD’s performance in this area are noted above in the section involving 

congressional and federal agency engagement. 

More Stakeholder-Friendly Materials – In FY 2017, NCD continued to make changes 

to the manner that it develops and packages its policy recommendations to Congress 

and the President in response to feedback received from congressional stakeholders. 

Staff continued to apply necessary training to transition report presentations to a more 

reader-friendly layout that includes a greater emphasis on infographics, easier-to-spot 

major findings and recommendations and key points, and shorter in length. The new 

report format has been met with a positive response. NCD likewise continued steps in 

FY 2017 to identify opportunities for greater application of plain language principles in 

its policy work.

Synopses of FY2017 Policy Reports

National Disability Policy: A Progress Report 2017

This report addresses why people with disabilities are often destined to live in 

poverty and experience high unemployment despite existing federal regulations and 

public policies that are geared toward improving the lives of people with disabilities.

https://ncd.gov/progressreport/2017/national-disability-policy-progress-reportoctober-2017

Mental Health on College Campuses: Investments, Accommodations Needed 

to Address Student Needs 

More and more students are seeking support for mental health disabilities at 

colleges, but colleges have been unable to meet that demand. Some have argued 

that the nation has reached a “campus mental health crisis.” This National Council on 

Disability (NCD) report examines and assesses the status of college mental health 

services and policies in the United States, and provides recommendations for 

Congress, federal agencies, and colleges to improve college mental health services 

and post-educational outcomes for students with mental health disabilities.

https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Mental_Health_Report_508_0.pdf

Synopses of Policy Publications Drafted in FY2017 for a FY2018 Release
Performance Section (Continued)

Synopses of Policy Publications Drafted in FY2017 for a FY2018 Release

Sexual Assault of Students with Disabilities

This project looks at sexual assault of students with disabilities on college campuses, 

including sexual assault statistics, college policies on sexual assault and how they 

impact students with disabilities, and post-assault services provided to victims with 

disabilities. https://ncd.gov/publications/2018/sexual-assault-college-studentsdisabilities

Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) & Vocational 

Rehabilitation Services Report

This project looks at VR’s progress in implementing WIOA’s requirement to provide 

pre-employment transition services to transition-age students with disabilities.

https://ncd.gov/publications/2017/early-implementation-wioa-PETS

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: a Five Part Policy Brief Series

This project looks at five issues under the IDEA: Segregation, Funding, Monitoring, 

English Language Learners, and the Interplay between the IDEA and the ESSA, and 

will result in a 25-page report on each of the topics.

Neglected for Too Long: Dental Care for People with Intellectual and 

Developmental Disabilities

This policy brief highlights the challenges of locating dentists who were both trained 

in, and are willing to provide, dental care to individuals with intellectual and certain 

developmental disabilities and will suggest policy recommendations for this largely 

overlooked issue.

https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Dental%20Brief%202017_508.pdf

Guardianship Report

This report seeks to explain, evaluate, and contextualize a system that impacts a 

large number of people with disabilities, particularly intellectual, cognitive, and agerelated disabilities. Although it has been an important part of Western law since the 

ancient Greeks, guardianship has not garnered the attention of policymakers and 

disability rights advocates the way other issues have.

Foreign Policy Report

This project examines the policies and practices of DOS, USAID, and the Peace 

Corps and the extent to which they ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities 

in their foreign programs and removed barriers to access by individuals with 

disabilities previously identified by NCD. It also examines the policies and practices 

of the Millennial Challenge Corporation to determine whether it applies U.S. disability 

laws and policies to its programs overseas.
Performance Section (Continued)

FY 2017 Results – Policy Development and Collaboration

GOALS, MEASURES & PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Strategic 

Goal 

Component

Key 

Measures

Program Highlights for FY 2017

Integrated Approach

Economic 

SelfSufficiency

Enhance 

participation 

in and 

knowledge 

of programs 

available to 

assist 

people with 

disabilities in 

enhancing 

their selfsufficiency 

through 

employment, 

education 

and job 

training. 

NCD held a congressional briefing on elimination of subminimum 

wage.

NCD staff worked with GAO to share information about its study 

on Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)’s implementation of preemployment transition services under the Workforce Innovation 

and Opportunities Act (WIOA). GAO is using NCD’s report to 

inform its own study on VR/WIOA planned for release in 

2018.NCD met with attorneys representing the Office of Tax Policy 

at the US Treasury Department, to discuss issues related to the 

tax burden of loan forgiveness granted to individuals deemed 

“severely disabled.”

NCD provided advice to the House Committee on Education and the 

Workforce on the H.R. 1313, "Preserving Employee Wellness Programs 

Act."

NCD drafted a letter to Representative Scott offering guidance and 

recommendations regarding his introduction of the Direct Care bill. 

The Bill recommends incentives for workforce investment boards 

to enable them to address the direct care workforce shortage. 

NCD provided the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 

with an implementation memorandum regarding the 

implementation of pre-employment transition services (PETS) 

within the first two and a half years since the enactment of the 

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA)
Performance Section (Continued)

GOALS, MEASURES & PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Strategic 

Goal 

Component

Key 

Measures

Program Highlights for FY 2017

Independent 

Living

Improving 

access to long 

term services 

and support, 

health care, 

housing and 

transportation

NCD worked with the CMS Office of Minority Health to hear from 

stakeholders about how providers have successfully made changes 

to provide accessible care for their patients, and where there are 

still opportunities for improvement.

NCD convened a stakeholder roundtable with bipartisan staff of the 

Senate Commerce Committee on autonomous vehicle technology.

FY 2017 NCD Progress Report focused on how information and

communication technology (ICT) continues to transform modern 

life, and the potential ICT and assistive technology holds for 

improving how people with disabilities live in the world.

NCD provided advice to DOJ regarding web accessibility NPRM.

NCD provided advice to FEMA regarding new ODIC director 

following Hurricane Harvey.

NCD provided advisement to CMS Administrator Verma regarding 

Medicaid HCBS settings rule.

NCD provided advisement to Congress regarding the proposed 

America's Health Care Act.

NCD drafted Principles for Public and Private Healthcare Reform.

NCD provided advice to the Senate Commerce Committee on the 

autonomous vehicle discussion draft.

NCD provided advice regarding the Graham-Cassidy healthcare 

amendment.

Soon to be released NCD report: Guardianship Report. NCD met 

with SSA’s Disability Rights Consortium summer fellows to discuss 

social security disability policy.
Performance Section (Continued)

GOALS, MEASURES & PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Strategic 

Goal 

Component

Key 

Measures

Program Highlights for FY 2017

Integration 

& Inclusion 

Improving 

policies and 

practices to 

ensure that 

all children, 

youth, and 

adults with 

disabilities 

are valued 

by, and 

contribute 

to, their 

communities 

of choice 

and civil 

rights are 

protected

NCD met with the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination 

(ODIC) to discuss how NCD can assist ODIC in furthering its mission 

to ensure that people with disabilities are included in emergency 

management planning.

NCD participated in a FEMA Disability Working Group to discuss 

FEMA’s Section 504 self-evaluation.

NCD provided advisement to Congress regarding repeal of the SSA 

NICS Rule.

NCD is a member of, and continued to participate with, the Integrated 

Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Subcommittee to the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Advisory 

Council (NAC). The IPAWS Subcommittee will make recommendations 

through the NAC to ensure that FEMA can provide timely and effective 

warnings regarding natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters or threats to public safety.

NCD provided advice to the Field Operation Chief for FEMA’s Office of 

Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) to discuss the inclusion 

of people with disabilities in all phases of disaster planning exercises. 

NCD also attended ODIC’s disability workgroup which illustrated the 

role Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VAL) play in emergency management.

NCD continued to regularly participate within the US Department of 

Transportation FTA Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility 

(CCAM). The CCAM issues policy recommendations and implements 

activities that improve the availability, accessibility, and efficiency of 

transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals 

of low incomes.

NCD provided advice to the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights 

Division regarding police reform and the rights of people with 

disabilities.

NCD submitted a letter to FEMA regarding the Office of Disability 

Integration and Coordination.
Performance Section (Continued)

GOALS, MEASURES & PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Strategic 

Goal 

Component

Key 

Measures

Program Highlights for FY 2017

Integration

& Inclusion 

Improving 

policies and 

practices to 

ensure that 

all children, 

youth, and 

adults with 

disabilities 

are valued 

by, and 

contribute 

to, their 

communities 

of choice 

and civil 

rights are 

protected

NCD submitted a letter to the Committee on House Administration 

regarding the Election Assistance Commission.

NCD submitted a letter to the American Medical Association Regarding 

Physician Assisted Suicide and the right to treatment.

NCD submitted comments to the Department of Education regarding 

mandatory civil rights data collection.

NCD advised Congress regarding class action lawsuits legislation.

NCD report soon to be released: Sexual Assault of Students with 

Disabilities

NCD provided advice to the House leadership regarding "ADA 

Education and Reform Act of 2017."

NCD submitted a letter to Attorney General Sessions about police 

interactions with people with disabilities.

NCD submitted a letter to Congressman Wenstrup regarding sense of 

Congress on assisted suicide.

NCD report soon to be released: Individuals with Disabilities Education 

Act: a Five Part Policy Brief Series.

NCD Policy Brief researched in FY2017: Neglected for Too Long: 

Dental Care for People with Intellectual and Developmental 

Disabilities.

Soon to be released NCD report: Foreign Policy Report.